


four times Marina Zoueva felt her students made a mark on her (and the one time they actually did)

by intothewoods



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-12-18 01:27:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11863785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/intothewoods/pseuds/intothewoods
Summary: Marina Zoueva could count on one hand how many couples had made a mark on her.





	four times Marina Zoueva felt her students made a mark on her (and the one time they actually did)

**Author's Note:**

> The hug between Scott and Marina at GPF caused this. I honestly don't know what else to say.

Marina Zoueva could count on one hand how many couples had made a mark on her. 

There were her first diamonds who she cherished more than anything. The couple that sliced right through her heart with their story of love and determination. Her work with them was written in countless history books and told to those who wished to follow in their footsteps. But their legacy-- that was cut short by the cruel knife of fate. She watched as the ice crumbled under the weight of his body, Katia screaming for her to get help. Their little girl who grew up without the presence of her adoring father. 

She didn't like to talk much about her first students. 

Her second pair proved themselves through years and years of consistency and power. Each twizzle and every edge was crisp, clean, and well thought out with a precision teams could only dream of. From the time they were awkward teenagers stumbling through a simple waltz to the legend that was Scherezade, she coached them to greatness and watched as they blossomed into adults who took on the world with as much dedication as they gave to their skating. 

She still saw them from time to time. And with her son tied to Meryl and the other married to another former student, she figured it wouldn't be difficult to stay in touch. 

The third duo were young and kept her on her feet. They brought peels of laughter to the cold rink with technology that baffled her beyond belief and attitudes that reminded her of why she taught in the first place. With the stage open for them she worked her hardest to give everything she couldn't in the past. How could she deny the cheeky smile Alex would shoot her after he'd stumbled on the step sequence? Or the eye roll Maia treated her with after her brother had flicked her ponytail annoyingly? 

There was no way she could. 

The Italians were fourth. And though their time with her was brief, they satisfied her. She had them sharpening basic skating skills and bringing music into programs she thought of as too dull for such talented people. They worked hard for their spot among the others and she knew they could be the very best Europe had to offer as long as they kept their heads down and minds clear. 

Her final finger was for the golden team. The little girl and timid boy who arrived in Canton with hopes and dreams that reached way above their heads. Just like her second finger, she watched the two grow into a beautiful woman and handsome man who pushed the boundaries of skating to the breaking point. They poured every ounce of love and heartbreak into what they did and all she could do was stand by and watch, silently hoping her small tweaks brought something new to the perfection already laid out. Sure she helped them in making sure that magic remained but for the most part, they thrived without her. 

2010 was their dream. In 2014, she felt like she ripped it from them. 

And Marina wasn't blind. She knew where her loyalties laid. She saw the sad looks and disappointed eyes. Each squeeze she caught Scott giving his partner further drove the failure into her mind. It wasn't fair to them or to Meryl and Charlie. Only one could come out on top. 

(How she wished it could have been different.)

But time moved forward and the divide between them grew. She wanted to close it, but saw how tired they had grown of the environment they were in. 

So when they left without so much of a goodbye, she wasn't all to surprised. Canton cleared out and all that was left was a large gaping hole. 

Over the next few months she focused her attention back on her young team, hearing only snippets of their adventures abroad. Her dutiful sources told her about shows and jewelry lines (which she purchased a lovely pair of earrings from) that kept them busy. 

By the time they'd made their announcement, her mind had been too preoccupied with current life to even be surprised. All of a sudden the ice dancing world was buzzing with excitement and fear. She could sense nervousness in her own students who pushed for longer hours and stricter styles. 

But they weren't the Tessa and Scott she'd remembered. In the interviews and videos she saw of them, she could sense a new fire burning brighter than their past two olympics combined. She found no lie in their statement: "this one's for us." 

Yet she didn't actually cross paths with them until Skate Canada. Marina saw the nerves that drove them, felt it in the way Scott nervously tittered with his water bottle and in the way Tessa rocked from side to side, eyes unfocused. 

The difference this time (invisible to those who hadn't spent years in their presence) was the way they dealt with it. The way Tessa's fingers slipped quietly into his, entertaining the two of them together. Or the way Scott placed a hand at the small of Tessa's back, immediately sending a message of comfort as she stilled. 

Marina knew right off the bat the two of them had not only changed mentally but emotionally as well. 

(She hoped they were happy.)

The weekend ends with a hug from Tessa and a reassurance that they are in good hands. 

It isn't until GPF when they meet again. The competition that they couldn't grasp no matter how hard they pushed. 

She could tell the minute they set foot in the arena that it was theirs for the taking and nothing short of a disaster would change that. 

So when all was said and done, and her duo display the bronze proudly, she was nearly brought to tears when her old student approached her. "Marina."

His voice is deeper than she remembers and his hair curls around his ears in a look only Tessa could approve of. "Scotty-- congratulations." She rasps out, hugging him closely.

He pressed a kiss against each cheek as she patted his back. When they pulled apart, she could make out the true joy in his face. It had been a while since she'd seen that sparkle. 

"We won. Can you believe it?" The outcome of the event hadn't even fully set in for the excited man who reminded her strongly of the 19 year old boy that won the Junior title. 

She watched as he stuck out a hand and she scoffed, tugging him back into her arms. "You deserve it Scott. You and Tessa-- you look good. You two happy?"

"Stupidly so." He rewarded her with one of his trademark grins as she let him go, ushering for him to join the rest of his cohort. Tessa followed closely behind, and she couldn't help but give one last smile. 

Her fifth finger-- they were something else.


End file.
